The Good Raider

Yes, we run with everybody. That's what Oceanic Warriors is all about.

      However, this doesn't change the world we play in and the difficulty of the instances we face. A Teir 2 Challenge is still a hard win. It still requires great teamwork and players who are ready for the fight. With that in mind, we have created this guide to help players prepare for group content. But first...

This is a guide, not set of hard rules.
     Please don't berate others when they do not always follow it. If you run with someone who could benefit from the information here, please direct them to the page in a respectful and friendly manner.

The Raid Kit
     Raids are tough, and consumables can make or break them. There are actually many instances that connot be completed without them. It's a good idea to carry stacks of the following in your inventory at all times.

The Basics

  • Athelas Essences (Moral Pots)
  • Celebrant Salves (Power Pots)
  • Regeneration Food
  • Stat Food
  • Poison/Fear/Wound/Disease Draughts
  • Hope Tokens
  • Scrolls of Battle Lore
  • Scroll of Warding Lore

Teir 2 Additions

  • +5% Attack Damage Tome (DPS)
  • +10% Tome of Defence (Tank/Melee)
  • +10% Run Speed Coffee
  • Resistance Food (Specific to the instance)


Into The Action
- Consider the difficulty of the instance -
     Check out the section below titled "Choosing Your Battles" to gauge what level of content is right for you. If you are unsure, talk to an officer in advance. The worst thing you can do to a raid leader is put them in a position where they have to choose between telling someone they are not up to par, or risk failing the instance for everyone. On the flip side, there are many times when it is safe to take people who aren't quite ready. We actually build our instance strategies with this in mind. Talking with the group leader directly is always a good plan.
- Sign up to  reserve a spot -
     For events on the calendar, you can sign up to ensure your place in the group. Raid leaders will hold a spot for you up to 10 minutes after the official start time. If an event over fills with sign ups, places from no-shows will be given in order of sign up. If there is a lot of interest, the raid leader may arrange the help of another officer to run two groups at the same time. To sign up, click on the event to go to the 'Day' page, then click on the 'Sign Ups' link at the bottom right of the event.
- Be ready to roll on time -
     Have your toon logged in and set to go when start time comes around. Don't forget to clean those bags, restock your raid kit, make repairs, reforge LIs, and be free of other instances and fellowships.
- Try to be on teamspeak -
     Or at the least, in-game voice chat for the event. It's okay if you can't talk, but being able to listen in is a big help.
- It's okay to goof around on voice chat -
     In fact we encourage it! But do remember to give the raid leader the space they need to keep the things moving forward.
- Try to minimize hold ups -
     It could be frequent AFKs, not being ready to go at the start, stopping to discuss toon builds, or mulling over strategy at length. All these things add up and usually involve only a few people while many others stand waiting.
- Avoid telling people how to play their class -
     It never goes down well. If you notice someone doing something that is really hurting the raid or causing wipes, send it in a private tell to the raid leader and let them handle it.
- Do your best to keep the language civil -
     We know there are times when a bellowed curse is exactly what's needed, and if your ears are a bit sensitive, best prepare yourself for that. We are not PG, but we do not live in the gutter.
- LotRO is a video game, not a soap opera -
     I've yet to meet anyone who loves a raid or kinship filled with bikkering and social drama. So, slip on your thickest skin and practice turning the other cheek. If someone is causing you major grief, contact an officer as soon as the raid is done.
- And last but most important... Don't let it get to you -
     There will be raids when you have been at it for hours, you're on your twenty-seventh wipe, dead tired, and every little thing grates on you. At those times it's almost automatic to snap at your teammates, but just remember they are right there with you, and are feeling exactly the same. Do everyone a favor and try to lighten the atmosphere. Crack some jokes, poke fun at the boss, poke fun at yourself, dish out some compliments, or just ask for a moment to stand up and stretch. Your team will be glad you are with them, and a positive environment betters your chances at victory.

Support Your Raid Leader
     Running a successful raid is a tough job, so try to make it easier on the one with the star on their bar. In general, when it comes to giving instructions and making choices on strategy, leave this up to the leader. It just easier on everyone if all these come from a single voice. But do not misunderstand, this is not the army, input is always welcome. The best way is to make it short and sweet, then step back and support the raid leader in whatever they decide to do.

Things that help are...

  • Calling out alerts and updates in battle. Things like incoming adds, debuffs that need potting, impending dangers, and tasks that have been completed.
  • Asking questions when you are unsure of something.
  • Advising when something critical has been missed.
  • Letting others know when they are causing problems for the leader.

Things that do not help are...

  • Talking too much during battle or when instructions are being given.
  • Challenging the leader's decisions. If you see something critically wrong, politely point it out once and let things go the way they go.
  • Telling other people how to play their class.
  • Taking over the raid without being requested to do so. You may feel you are saving the day, but you'll be the only one.



Choose Your Battles
     There are heaps of instances in the game, and many levels of difficulty. It can be hard to know if you are ready for a particular challenge. To help with this, we have lumped things in to three very general 'Categories', that can give players some idea of where they are at. These do not take into account your game skills or experience, nor do they relate to your standing within the community. They exist as one tool a player can use to decide if they are ready to join a specific raid. In short, they are for personal use only.

Category 1
     
You've played your class though each level, learnt it well enough to overcome most solo challenges, and you've done some fellowships on the way. Your gear is a mix of yellows, purples, and teal. At this point you can handle any instance at your level on Teir 1, join Teir 2 skirmishes, and are ready to jump into Big Battles if you haven't already.

Category 2
     You know your class much better than when you were leveling up. You understand your role in a team, the skills which count the most, and know a few tricks you can do to help during a tough fight. Your gear is correct for your level, all crafted teal or better. If you are level 100 you are working on building your slot armor, gold jewelry sets, and perfecting your LI's. At this point you are able to handle most instances on Teir 2 (with some difficulty at first), join Teir 3 skraids, and usually score platinums in Big Battles.

Category 3
      This is where the elite raiding kins live, and we don't ask anyone to go this far. It's up to the individual player if they want to put in the enormous amount of effort to get here. It is not needed for any raid we run, and is really only required if you want to do the specific content designed for this level of difficulty (e.g. the Osgilliath T2C instances). There are a number of players in O.W. that have made it this far, so you will have people to group with. Anyways, at this point you have mathematically worked out and completed your build, so that every stat is capped, or just where you need it. Everything you did at Teir 2, you now do without thinking, and in between this you are using tricks that few people even know about. When you fight you are aware of the entire battlefield, and are ready to respond to changes even when they are not directly in front of you.

Good Raiding All!!